Road-scraper.



E. S. PHILIPS.

ROAD SCRAPER.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18,1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nan 5555s.-

represent .Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES ea TENT OFFICE EDWIN S. PHILIPS, 0F KENNETT SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA, 'ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN :RQAiDw-IMAGHINEBOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ROAD-SCRAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

of which the following is a full, clear, and

reference being had to the exact description,

which form a part accompanying drawings, of this specification.

My invention relates to road scraping machines and has for its object the provi sion of a scrape-r support adapted to permit the scraper to pass over obstacles without damage to the scraper or to the machine. In the accompanying drawings, which several embodiments of my invention: Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one embodiment of my invention ap-, plied to a known type of road scraping machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a part of Fig. 3 is a plan view of another embodimentof my invention. .Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing still another embodiment of my invention applied to another known type of road scraping machine. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a part of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modification of the embodiment of my invention, shown in Figs. 4 and 5. p

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a represents the main frame mounted upon the wheels I). Extending between the side bars of the main frame is the frame 0, which comprises two arms diverging rearwardly from the front axle and supporting between them the casting d and the cross-bar 6, both of which have lips extending under and supporting the circular frame or circle f. 'To the frame f are secured the scraper'bars or supports '9, which in turn support the scraper.

The above? (described. construction represents a. known type of road scraper which also comprises other supporting and operating' parts which, forming no part of my invention, need not be described. 1

The scraper blade, or scraper proper h, is shown as provided near its opposite ends with projections i which are fulcrumed on horizontal transverse axes to the respective scraper supporting bars g. Each bar g car-. ries a casting j on which is rotatably mounted a pulley is. A transversely extending .on its transverse axis.

nary working conditions.

scraper meets an obstruction which it canspring'm has secured to its opposite ends chains n the outer ends of which pass over the pulleys k and are secured to hooks l secured to and projecting above the upper edge of the scraper blade near opposite ends thereof.

Each casting is orificed to receive a bumper or abutment 0 which abuts against the rear wall of the scraper blade near its upper edge. The bumper o is adjustable forwardly and rearwardly in the casting j and boththe bumper and casting are provided with lateral orifices p which are adapted to register in different adjusted positions of the bumper, which may be held in any of the adjusted positionsby means of pins 9 engaging both sets of registering orifices.

The spring m tends to throw the lower or working edge of the scraper forwardly The angleat which the scraper is held by the spring depends upon the adjustment of the bumpers 0. The spring is of sufficient strength to hold the scraper in its desired positionunder ordi- If, however, the

not displace, the lower or working edge of the scraper moves back on the transverse axis of the scraper, thus pulling forward the outer ends of thechains n, the spring yielding to the extent necessary to throw the scraper into position so that it can slip up over the obstacle (the entire scrapersupport yielding upward during the clearing movement) after which the spring returns the scraper blade to its normal working position.

One or both of the chains a may be made adjustable as to length in order that the scraper blade may be adjusted at different angles, while at the same time the length of the chain may be varied so as to maintain the power of the spring fixed notwithstanding such angular adjustment of the scraper blade.-

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, s is the scraper blade, t the bumpers and a castings which may be carried on the bars 9 of Figs. 1 and 2. o are rods attached to the upper edges of the'scraper blade. Bell crank; levers 'w are pivoted on the castings a. .One arm of each bell crank is -attached to the rear end of the'corresponding rod 11 the spring y while the other end is attached to a tube aextending longitudinally of the scraper blade. A compression spring y is confined between the two tubes. A rod 2, around which the spring 3 is coiled, extends into both tubes, thus keeping the spring from buckling and guiding the tubes in their longitudinal movement. .Each rod '0 is preferably made in two parts with their opposing ends spaced apart and threaded,- and connected by an adjusting nut r, whereby the scraper blade may be adjusted to different angles without changing the normal positions of the bell cranks, tubes and springs; whereby the normal tension of the spring may be maintained constant notwithstanding variations in the angular adjustment of the scraper blade. The .operation of this modification is essentially the same as that of the first embodiment hereinbefore described, except that, when the lower edge of the scraper blade overrides an obstacle,

is compressed instead of extended.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a modified form of my invention, and have shownsuch modification applied to a different known type of machine. The semi-ring or semicircle 1O rests between its ends on an A-frame 11, the two arms of which converge forward from the rear axle 12 and are 'supporte therefrom by means not shown. The ends of the semicircle are also supported by means, not shown, depending from the main frame 13 of the machine. This type of road scraper also comprises other supporting parts which, as they form no part of my invention, are not shown.- The scraper blade 22 carries near its ends the cars 14 and midway between its ends the car 15. The latter ear is provided with a transversely extending. orifice, square in cross-section, through which extends a. bar 16 of spring steel whichis also square in cross-section except at its ends where it is round in crosssection 4 and extends through correspondingly shaped orifices in the ears 14. Thus the bar 16, which is in effect a torsion spring, is free to turn in the end ears 14 but cannot turn in the central car 15. The ends of the semicircle ,1!) are also provided cars 17 having square orifices through which the bar 16 extends and in which the bar cannot turn.

Secured to the front end of the A-frame 11 is a cast-ing 18, in which is threaded a shaft 19 thefront end of which has a head which contacts with the scraper blade 22. The shaft may be adjusted back and forth by turning it by means of a pair of gears 20, one of which is operated from a shaft 21 by means known in the art. The normal tension of the torsion spring bar 16 is such as to hold the lower edge of the scraper blade 22 forward, under ordinary Working conditions, at an angle determined by the adjustment of the threaded shaft 18, which performs the same function as the bumper 0 in the first described embodiment of my invention. In case the scraper meets an obstacle, the lower or working edge of the scraper will turn on the axis of the spring bar 16. The ends of the bar engaging the ends of the semicircle 10 cannot turn owing to their fixed engagement therewith, but the central part of the bar being fixed to the scraper blade will turn on its axis, and thus throw the bar into a condition of tension, until the scraper has turned into the position necessary to enable it to ride over and clear the obstruction. Immediately thereafter, the bar will spring back to its normal condition, thus restoring the scraper bar to its normal position. I

In the modification shown in Fig. 6,- the 5 scraper supporting and adjusting mechanism is the same as in the second modifica tion, except as follows: The scraper blade 23 carries, at or near its opposite ends, the ears 24, 25, the first of which is provided 0 with a round orifice and the second with a square orifice. The ends of the semi-circle 26 are provided with ears 27, 28, the first of which (or the one nearest the ear 24 on the scraper blade) has a square orifice, and the second of which (or the one nearest the car 25 on the scraper blade) has a round orifice. Through all of these. orifices extends the torsion spring bar 29, which is shaped, at different parts of its length, to conform to the cross-sections of the orifices through which it extends, so that it freely turns in ears 24 and 28, but cannot turn, and is in effect secured to,the ears 25 and 27. When the scraper blade meets an obstruction and turns on its axis as before described, the bar 29 will be twisted throughout that part of its length between the ear 27 near oneend of the bar and the car 25 at the other end of the bar, or, in other Words, throughout tion of the bar is confined to approximately half its length. 3

It is obvious that the possibilities in respect to the application of the torsional bar, or the coil spring, or some other equivalent elastic device, are not exhausted by the sev eral constructions above described, and that further modifications may be devised by the skilled mechanic.

For convenience of illustration I have shown the scraper blade exactly level and 125. extending parallel to the axes of the wheels or at right angles to the direction in which the machine is propelled; but it will be understood that in practical use the scraper, by mechanism known in the art and not 133 herein set forth in detail, will be adjusted to a more or less inclined position under usual operating conditions.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a road scraper machine, the combination with supporting means, of a scraper blade free to swing on the supporting means on. an axis extending lengthwise of the blade, and a tension device arranged lengthwise of said axis and connected with. the blade and tending to move it on its axis to throw the working edge of the blade for ward but adapted to yield to permit the blade to swing in the opposite direction.

2. In a road scraper machine, the combination with a main frame and wheels upon which the frame is mounted, of scraper blade supporting means, a scraper blade arranged transversely of the frame and free to swing on its supporting means on an axis also extending transversely of the frame, a tension device also extending transversely of the frame and connected with said blade and tending to swing the blade on its axis to throw its working edge forward I but adapted to yield to permit the blade to swing in the opposite direction.

3. In a road scraper machine, the combination with supporting means, of a scraper blade free to swing on the supporting means on an axis extending lengthwise of the blade, means limiting the extent of the forward movement of the working edge of the blade, a tension device extending lengthwise of said axis, and connected with said blade and tending to swing the blade to move its working edge forward but adapted to yield to permit the blade to swing to move its working edge backward.

4. In a road scraper machine, the combination with supporting means, of a scraper blade free to swing on the supporting means on an axis extending lengthwise of the blade, a tension device arranged lengthwise of said axis and connected with said blade and tending to move the blade on its axis to throw the working edge of the blade forward but adapted to yield to permit the blade to swing in the opposite direction, and adjustable means to vary and limit the extent of the forward movement of the working edge of the blade.

-5. In a road scraper machine, the combination with a main frame and wheels upon which the frame is mounted, of scraper blade supporting means, a scraper blade arranged transversely of the frame-and free to swing on its supporting means on an axis also extending transversely of the frame, a tension device also arranged transversely of the frame and engaging both the supporting means and the scraper-blade at different points along the length :of the blade and tending to throw the working edge of the scraper-blade forward, and an abutment adjustable to vary and limit the extent of said forward movement.

6. In a road scraper machine, the combination with supporting means, of a scraper blade free to swing on the supporting means on an axis extending lengthwise of the blade, means limiting the extent of the forward movement of the working edge of the blade, and a tension device arranged lengthwise of said axis and connected with the blade near opposite ends thereof and tend ing to move the working edge of the blade forward on its axis but adapted to yield to permit said working edge to move back- Ward.

7. In a road scraper machine, the combination with supporting means, of a scraper blade pivotally mounted on the supporting means on an axis extending lengthwise of the blade, means limiting the extent of the forward movement of the working edge of the blade, and a tension device arranged lengthwise of said axis and engaging the blade near the latters opposite ends and engaging between its own ends the supporting means, said tension device being arranged to yield to permit the lower edge of the blade to be forced backward but tending to throw said edge forward to the extent permitted by said limiting means.

8. In a road scraper machine, the combination with supporting means, of a scraper blade pivotally mounted on the supporting means on an axis extending lengthwise of the blade, means carried by the supporting means and engaging the blade between its ends and limiting the extent of the forward movement of the working edge of the blade, a coil spring arranged lengthwise of the blade, and a flexible connection engaging the supporting means and connected with opposite ends of the coil spring and also with the blade near its opposite ends, said spring operating to maintain said blade against its limiting means and in normal working position.

9. In a road scraper machine, the combination with supporting means, of a scraper blade pivoted thereon on lengthwise 0f the blade, means limiting the extent of the forward movement of the working edge of the blade, a coil spring arranged lengthwise of the blade, and means for supporting the coil spring and connecting it with the blade near opposite ends thereof, said spring operating to maintainv the blade against its limiting means and in normal working position but adapted to yield to permit the blade to be retracted from its normal working position.

10. In a road scraper machine, the combination with a main frame and wheelsupon which the frame is mounted, of scraper blade supporting means, a scraper blade arranged transversely of the frame and pivoted between its upper and lower edges on its supporting means on an axis extending transversely of the frame, a tension connected with said blade and tending to swin the blade to move its working edge forward but adapted to yield to permit the blade to swin in the opposite direction, and an adjusta le abutment arranged at the rear of the scraper blade above its axis and ada ted to limit the swing of the blade in the irection to move its working edge forward.

11. In a road scraper machine, the combination with a pair of supporting bars, of a scraper blade fulcrumed on said bars, a pair of castings carried by said bars, a pair of pulleys mounted on said casting, a coil spring extending between the pulleys lengthwise of the scraper blade, and flexible connections connecting opposite ends of the spring with opposite end portions of the scraper blade.

12. In a road scraper machine, the combination with a pair of supporting bars, of a scraper ifulcrumed, between its upper and lower edges, on said bars on an axis extending transversel of the machine, a pair of castings carried by said bars, a pair of pulleys mounted on said casting, a coil spring extending between the pulleys lengthwlse of the scraper blade, flexible connections connecting opposite ends of the spring with the upper edges of opposite end portions of the scraper blade, and a air of abutments carried by and adjustab e on the castings and arranged at the rear of the scraper blade above its axis.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set In hand, at Philadelphia, on

this 13th day 0 December, 1913.

EDWIN S. PHILIPS.

Witnessesf M. M. HAMILTON, E. E. WALL. 

